Joe Cole

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

The only players moving are the frees at the moment (R Lambert & maybe Costa aside) so getting a couple of experienced frees is no bad thing....the key is whether we have the usual circa 15m budget & that it is spent on a couple of better first XI players not spread out out on 5/6 Jonny Average players.

As for Joe Cole as a twenty minute impact sub playing behind the strikers he has ability to help break down sides...he had just spent a year watching everything wing over his head under parasite Sam so hopefully he will get his wish to get a ball to pass & we will not see so much hoofball.

I'd go along with that.

I'm praying for that.

[Ian.]

Lambert does act quick in the transfer windows, I'll give him that.

We're already stronger now than last season, we have removed the evil step sisters from the coaching team and now we have at least one nice looking shirt. Oh it's quite easy being positive when we're not playing and getting thumped by four every game.

[Olneythelonely]

I hope that's the case.

[edgysatsuma89]

I like getting pissed off at things more than anyone, but can people please stop getting pissed off at a wage no one knows he's getting?

This is purely a wait and see signing for me. Aslong as he is played through the middle unlike a lot of managers have done with him I think he'll be just 'alright'. I do think it makes us 'stronger' even if it's just 0.25kg we have added to our bench press.

[Colin B]

How much was "The Fonz" earning last year.

If we have spent his salary on Cole and he can make a difference in maybe half a dozen games which earn us points we otherwise would not have got it could well be money well spent

[supertom]

5 years ago he'd have been exactly what we're currently missing. Cole was one of the most technically gifted English footballers since Gascoigne. He's well past his best.

That said, his poor form at West Ham could be argued as being down to being totally and utterly, NOT an Allardyce player. I mean lets face it, a number 10 kind of player won't do much when he's watching the ball rocket over his head to the 6ft10 CF.
Of course whether Lambert can set out a team to get the best out of Cole, if indeed he's still got anything left in his locker.

The optimist and one time Joe Cole fan in me hopes that he could surprise us. He got written off after Liverpool but then did well at Lille. I dunno. He's never relied on pace. What he will offer is a bit of skill and a bit of composure and technique in midfield.

If we were to get J. Cole and then Hoolahan too, that would leave our attacking mid options fairly sewn up.

Still...better than nothing I suppose. He'll come with almost zero expectation, it's on a free, probably a short term deal. He can only really match or vastly exceed our expectations to be honest.

Anyway...off to bed and dream that Joe manages to recapture his better form with us. If he does, he's a quality player...sadly, he probably won't.

[not3bad]

I'm a bit worried. I'm a fan worried about Villa future. Like everyone else I suppose.

[supertom]

We're in danger of assembling a Pro Evo 2009 dream team at this rate. Cole, Zogbia, Bent. Even Senderos probably wasn't too shabby on Pro Evo.

We can but dream.

Lets get Barry next.

[SteveD]

Given the state we're in, I'll take it and he'll have something to prove. Better than Carlton. Had a horrible feeling I'd spot Lambert scouting at Socceraid last night and we'd end up with Jamie Theakston, also out of work.

[tomd2103]

This is just getting more bizarre by the week.  Senderos, Keane as assistant and now Joe Cole!!  Goodness knows who will be next. 

[olaftab]

Sold his body to medical science?

Anyway, Keane, Senderos, Joe Cole...has Paul Lambert bought a time machine?

It's a remake of Young and Hungry titled Released and Retired.

[supertom]

Hopefully he'll be more Merson than Pires.

[pauliewalnuts]

What is most depressing is the creeping suspicion that we are not even going to bother pretending to have any ambition any more.

What would the likes of Faulkner say if he was asked what we were aspiring to?

It's all very well, the "he improves us" line, but we have a huge amount of improving to do before we get anywhere near an acceptable level, so let's hope we see some seriously decent signings this summer, or we are done for, I think.

I just think the prospect of another Cole-like signing and a few from the "young and hungry" pool of mediocrity, another season of bobbing around at the arse end of the table, of Lambert's sad face as he goes on and on about the wage bill is too depressing for words.

Lerner can hold his hands up and say "I'm trying to sell, what do you expect?" and this could quite easily drag on for years.

I might be wrong, so let's see what kind of business we do, but we need to spend a significant amount of money on some good players this summer if the above scenario is not going to happen.

I just can't see it.

[supertom]

The last two signings and the injuries to Kozak and Benteke could suggest that Lambert going back in for Holt might be on the cards. It wouldn't surprise me to see Holt back for another season. We do seem intent on raising the average age of the squad.
Hopefully he'll just settle for Bent being enough, but Helenius is probably leaving too. We probably will need another striker. If that's the case, I suspect it might be Holt. Wigan would let him go for peanuts probably. Or perhaps a loan.
Not very inspiring at the moment...

[hilts_coolerking]

We're slowly building the Premier League's finest collection of has-beens and never-wases.  Plus Benteke and Guzan.